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Nineveh Will Be Defeated

The destroyer[a] is coming to attack you, Nineveh.
    Guard the defenses.
    Watch the road.
    Get ready.
    Gather all your strength!
Destroyers have destroyed God’s people
    and ruined their vines.
But the Lord will make the people of Jacob
    and the people of Israel great again.

The shields of the soldiers are red.
    The army is dressed in red.
The metal on the chariots flashes
    when they are ready to attack.
    Their horses are excited.
The chariots race through the streets.
    They rush back and forth through the city squares.
They look like torches.
    They run like lightning.

He[b] calls his officers.
    But they fall down on the way.
They hurry to the city wall.
    The shield is put into place.
The river gates are thrown open.
    And the palace is destroyed.
It has been announced that the people of Nineveh
    will be captured and carried away.
The slave girls moan like doves.
    They beat their breasts because they are sad.
Nineveh is like a pool.
    And its water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” the people yell.
    But no one turns back.
Take the silver!
    Take the gold!
There is no end to the treasure.
    There is wealth of every kind.
10 Nineveh is robbed, ruined and destroyed.
    The people lose their courage. Their knees knock with fear.
    Stomachs ache. And everyone’s face grows pale from fright.

11 Where is the lions’[c] den?
    Where do they feed their young?
Where did the lion, lioness and cubs go?
    Where were they not afraid?
12 The lion killed enough for his cubs.
    He killed it for his mate.
He filled his cave with the animals he caught.
    He filled his den with what he had killed.

13 “I am against you, Nineveh,”
    says the Lord of heaven’s armies.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke.
    And I will kill your young lions with a sword.
    I will stop you from hunting down others on the earth.
Your messengers’ voices
    will no longer be heard.”

Footnotes

  1. 2:1 destroyer The Babylonians, the Scythians and the Medes destroyed Nineveh.
  2. 2:5 He This probably means the king of Assyria.
  3. 2:11 lions’ The symbol of Assyria was the lion.

Nineveh to Fall

[a]An attacker(A) advances against you, Nineveh.
    Guard the fortress,
    watch the road,
    brace yourselves,
    marshal all your strength!

The Lord will restore(B) the splendor(C) of Jacob
    like the splendor of Israel,
though destroyers have laid them waste
    and have ruined their vines.

The shields of the soldiers are red;
    the warriors are clad in scarlet.(D)
The metal on the chariots flashes
    on the day they are made ready;
    the spears of juniper are brandished.[b]
The chariots(E) storm through the streets,
    rushing back and forth through the squares.
They look like flaming torches;
    they dart about like lightning.

Nineveh summons her picked troops,
    yet they stumble(F) on their way.
They dash to the city wall;
    the protective shield is put in place.
The river gates(G) are thrown open
    and the palace collapses.
It is decreed[c] that Nineveh
    be exiled and carried away.
Her female slaves moan(H) like doves
    and beat on their breasts.(I)
Nineveh is like a pool
    whose water is draining away.
“Stop! Stop!” they cry,
    but no one turns back.
Plunder the silver!
    Plunder the gold!
The supply is endless,
    the wealth from all its treasures!
10 She is pillaged, plundered, stripped!
    Hearts melt,(J) knees give way,
    bodies tremble, every face grows pale.(K)

11 Where now is the lions’ den,(L)
    the place where they fed their young,
where the lion and lioness went,
    and the cubs, with nothing to fear?
12 The lion killed(M) enough for his cubs
    and strangled the prey for his mate,
filling his lairs(N) with the kill
    and his dens with the prey.(O)

13 “I am against(P) you,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will burn up your chariots in smoke,(Q)
    and the sword(R) will devour your young lions.
    I will leave you no prey on the earth.
The voices of your messengers
    will no longer be heard.”(S)

Footnotes

  1. Nahum 2:1 In Hebrew texts 2:1-13 is numbered 2:2-14.
  2. Nahum 2:3 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac ready; / the horsemen rush to and fro.
  3. Nahum 2:7 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.